Clasp for bracelets



OCt. 14, 1952 Q RITTER 2,613,415

' CLASP FoR BRACELETS Filed NOV. 3, 1948 7' if? Z7 JZ I Z 15 19 1g 35 f9.2' 17 Z1 f J1 Z4 afg. 6:

INVENTOR Bww@ m ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED PATENT-.

p 2,613,415 ,i cease-'ron smettere.

This invention relates tran improvement clasps. or connectorsfor watclrbrac s oi the:- extension type comprisinegelemen `,vl ich fold and unfold to close and open the cla-s An object of the invention istojfprovide a device of this. character wherein. tl1ef,Qldab,le members \vl1en-,in c1osed rei een w1l" be.he1d1 against `seiaaraticri bv means. operating: .automa cally when the1 membersfare .movedtcf tolsied, positions. j

Another object; ofi the! invention is.l to'A provide for positively locking the members in folded`rela--, tion by means so( arrangedas to `provide.af simple and convenient means for releasing thenrrnbers.

Another object ofthe invention is to@prox/itil?,r a locking" means; operableA to cause *the 'members' when in4 folded relation to cooperate.with `prawl andv ratchety means forl `holding air 'extension member in anadjusted position and for releasingthe saidextension menfilcerl when the foldable members areunfolded; v 'y y Another object' of the invention isftoprovid'e one of the foldable rnernkiersv with -an yelk'l'ngated tension latch element 'orv finger `rri'ount;ed' in one ofthe members to automatically locktliefmenibers when foldedand manuallyv oper leasing of said members.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from thefollowingfdescription togetherwithftliey ac ccimpanyin'g1 d/ravving,"vl in which:

Fig. 1 is a side 'elevationalview of Aacla'sp or connector constructed accordance-"With 'the present invention andfshov'vn connected tothe ends of a bracelet chain.

Fig. 2 is a topfpl'ari` view of" the clasp shown in Fig; 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofA theclaSpshiv-n with the members partly"unfolded:v L"

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal. crossesectionalllview of! the clasp with themembers 'in foldedlrelationf Fig. 5 is a View taken on line V--V inrFig/s Fig. 6 isv a viewtaken online VIe-VI in il'ig,` 4;

Fig. 7 isa transverse. cross-"sectionalvi'ew .off

to-iit overl the hand and in providing- .theinec'es--.

This:

Claims... (c1.` v

Serif-feo.fittaetton1l to .Old t e.' bracelet@ of. such, holding me has, been the .provision of lugs` or detents W Emotional contact! for xetainns. tl1e members, although; initiallvjsatslactory disadvantage. Oflwear so that in me, @urine use; th

eine@ te the arts no, longer. hold te. e vely k'e'pethe It' also een. proposed: t9, ilsfneans for nositivelv llo the 'membersfi1-0lded 11 ,ae tion. ThisA has been accomplished in numerous ways asfby employing a' slide orjother member to lockthe parts'in jfolded"relation, the disad-` var itage` being in providing a simple, 'visible and conveniently actuated. means for Vunlocking the members: L

In a deviceof thegpresent character which is in thenatureA of'Y a piece of jewelryj it is necessary to notv only provide1A an effective rnechanical arrangement of` parts; but' this job'ject rnust be accomplished without deps-reinen@ quired ornamental or pleasing ap" `'ar device; v 1"". v 11n-rt lnrmorel i'thas beenffound' thata"YV device or this typemust be providedvwith locking rrieeerls-requiring-A no special effort or skill to releaseorvv unlocken the part of the user, By

reason of the presenti novel arrangement of the latchingorretainingmeans' in combination with the foldalble parts of'the claspa-"simplef and.'

eect-i'veh loclcand release is provided having the desired ornamental; effect and so' constructed as to bev quickly and conveniently releasable; at the same time"mainta'i'n'ingvv a` desirableover-all :ap--

invention may` comprise three; foldable membersy consisting'of a cover member H', intermediate nfiernlfmL 'lf2 andav bottomv `member 'I3- As shown moreclearly in Fig. 7' the memberV I I 'i's'of .trough shapecomprising1 a. top Wall l4ran d sidewalls l5; 'and l5#v having' inturned .flangesf 20y and 2.0?

respectively to4 provide: a.; gui-defer track- 22. `The. intermediate, member ll'isfconnectedby 'hinge 1.12; is l lllzllsed at 4S; to: en end of thenottcin mem.

any-whenthe-.braceletreused.

f rctionall-v. 'engage when ber I3. When the clasp is contracted and the foldable members positioned in over-lapping contacting relation as shown in Fig. 4 they are retained in fixed relation by a latch member 2| mounted in the cover member II and engageable with a ward or detent 22 on the bottom member I3. `The latch member 2I is integral with one end of a springarm or finger w23, the ,opposite end of the arm beingfastened` at 24` togend25." of the cover member II.

As shown in Fig. 6 the latch 2| on the spring. arm or tension member 23, when in its normal position, engages the ward 22.

2| automatically causes the arm to move laterally.

permitting the latch to snap over` the detent'22` By reason of its resiliency the spring arm 23 carrying vthe latch 5. From the foregoing it will be evidentl that by reason of the present automatic locking relation between the lower foldable member I3 with the cover member II, the members when in closed when the foldable members-'are pressed intol" i folded relation. For the purpose of releasing they members, are released and Opened as shown in latch, the spring arm 23 is provided with a vfinger piece 26. When the iingerpiece is pressedin wardly the spring arm 23 is' moved to disenga'g'e the ward 22 and release "the members." `The releasing mechanism as shown y isi disposed fatl one' end of the members when folded .f` 4 Furthermore, it will be evident that by reason of the position of the releasing means the natural action performed is to compress the fingerl piece and at the' same time lift itto unfold taheniernbers.

The positionof the lreleasing means" therefore facilitates the opening or unfoldin'g'ofthe vfolded members thus facilitating and fsimplifyingjthe operation of expanding the. clasp.. The location of the releasing means at one end of. thecover member is accomplished as shown Vby hingedly' connecting the end I6 of .the ,intermediatezrnemf ber at a. point oILthecovermernber removed' from end I'I thereof. j .This makes possible the disposition of the finger piece .26 land latch` 2| between-theend .I6 of the intermediatemember and the adjacent end I1 of the'cover member. I. As shown more clearly in Figs. 4, 'l and tlieltop wall of the coverinember. is 4extended and bent to form. end I'Ifi'nto a tubular housing or guide for the finger piece' 26. Thus the..fingerpiece 26 isnlocated at `the end ofthe .cover memberi I.. Thereforewhen the finger piece is movediendwise in opposition vto spring; 23 to actuate the latch and.

release the folded members, the location off. the finger piece at the extreme end of the cover mem- .folded relation maintain the pawl 3| in contact with the teeth 3 3. On the other hand immediately upon actuation of the finger piece 26 the clasp ktherefore immediatelyjexpands to its fullv extent permittingthe removal ofthe bracelet over the hand.

. upon the wrist.

Y ,When the clasp is used as a connector for a Wrist watch bracelet, for example, it may be readily openedlto its fullest extent permitting the free passage of the hand 1.70 position the .bracelet The foldable members may then be contracted to their folded relation whereupon the latch 2| automatically-engages.the detent or lug 22 to hold the partsagainst separation and closed .relation ofthe membersjI'I vand I3 mainy tains` the pawl 2| engaged with teeth 33.'. If deber, makes it possibleto obtain theV full benefit of the lever action withihinge I9 as the'fulcrum..A

The bottom member' I3 is: also of-.trough .shape and is provided with side-walls 2I--and 21'; each of said walls beingprovided withva notch 28 to permit the walls 21 and 2'I'gto clear the Ehinge I6 connecting the cover and the-intermediate member.

relation the cover member II and thebottom member I3'form a substantially smoothoutsid surfaceof the'members when closed.

In clasps ofthe 4present type it is desirableftoA The member -'I3 isof such dimension as vto be received between inturnedf-ends `2I|'and 20' so that when the foldable membersare 4in folded` sirable the bottom member. I3 may be provided with raised portions 34 and 34' vto frictionally engage the edges of flanges 20 and 20' to hold the end 25 of the cover and end I9. of ther bottom member in firm relation. inasmuch as the foldable members are positively locked the duty imposed on the friction means is negligible. l When the bracelet is appliedto the wrist and the foldable members, closed as above explained the slidablemember may then be moved inwardly to causeits pawl 3| to engage teeth 33, the operative relation between the pawl andteeth being .effected by reason of the latching .means which firmly holds the members ,in fixed relation. The bracelet may therefore be adjusted by moving the slidable member inwardly until the bracelet ts the wrist vto the satisfaction of the user.

As above set forth aslighi'l pressure on the finger piece 2E immediately releases the foldable members as well as the slidablemember permitting a free and convenient removal of the bracelet.

The present invention therefore provides a simple and eii'ective clasp or connector which may be quickly and conveniently contracted to lock the members againstunfolding and at the same time putting the slidablemember into operative condition.

lv Although a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown-and-.described'herein it is to be understood that modifications rmay be made therein without departing from the spirit and end of said cover member, said end of the cover member having the top wall extended to provide a. tubular housing open at one end, a latch member mounted in said cover member and positioned between said hinge and said housing, a spring member for normally urging said latch member in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said cover member, a bottom member having one end hingedly connected to the other end of said intermediate member, a detent `in adjacent spaced relation to the other end of said bottom member for engaging said spring actuated latch member when the cover, intermediate and Ibottom members are in folded relation, a movable member disposed in and extending from the open end of said housing to provide a linger piece for actuating said latch member to permit the folded members to be unfolded.

2. A clasp comprising a cover member having a top wall and side walls, an intermediate member, a hinge connecting one end of said intermediate member to said side Walls, said hinge being positioned in adjacent spaced relation to one end of said cover member, said end of the cover member having the top Wall extended to -provide a tubular guide member, a latch member mounted in said cover member and positioned between said hinge and said guide member, a spring mem- SAUL RITTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,910,739 Baker May 23, 1933 2,193,596 Kestenman Mar. 12, 1940 2,215,527 Kestenman Sept. 24, 1940 2,262,623 Ritter Nov. 11, 1941 2,518,551 Jaccarino Aug. 15, 1950 

